PRINCIPLES OF SPEECH DELIVERY
Objectives:
a.) Understand the principle of speech delivery.
b.)Apply the principle in delivering a speech guided by criteria.
1ST Principle: ARTICULATION - This refers to the speaker’s skill
in pronouncing the words of the speech since clear diction
effectively transmits the message. This also means the act of
vocal expression; utterance or enunciation. The first act of
speech is breathing, in which you get air into a storage
chamber; second is phonation, the process by which you force
air into vibration by the action of the vocal folds; third,
resonation, in which your mouth, nose and throat cavities
amplify the sound so you can hear it; and finally there is
articulation, in which you modify the sound by movement
of the teeth, tongue, and lips into recognizable patterns.
2nd Principle: MODULATION - This refers to the speaker’s ability to adjust or manipulate the
resonance and timbre of one’s voice. This also means the fine-tuning of the pitch or tone of
voice that helps the audience clearly hear and understand the lecture, presentation, and
speech delivered by a speaker. Proper modulation gives life to a talk, stirs emotions, and
motivates to action. Lack of modulation may give the impression that you have no real interest
in your subject.
• Always convey your message with the variation in the pitch and tempo. Never
deliver your speech in a monotone as it will not only bore but also send your audience
to sleep.
• Speak at a rate so that your audience can understand you because fast delivery betrays a
lack of confidence.
• Speak normally at about 125 to 150 words per minute. Check your speed
and try to bring it within this range.
• Pronounce words properly, putting stresses at the right syllables.
• Speak loud enough so that everyone in the audience can hear you
clearly.
• Pause for a moment in between sentences to control your speed
and approach better.
• Refrain from vocalized pauses and nasalization such as 'er', 'ah', 'unh', 'umm', etc.
• Take care that you do not repeatedly use such phrases as
'you see', 'I mean', 'What I meant,' 'Understand?, 'Have you understood,' 'Clear?', 'Is it
clear?', 'Was it clear?', etc.
3rd Principle: STAGE PRESENCE - This refers to the speaker’s ability to “own” the stage, filling
it with one’s personality and projecting it to the audience or group of listeners. This also means the
sum total of all the qualities that keep the audience engaged while delivering a speech.
• Appearance and comfort is our first sphere. You must be dressed to the
occasion.
• Body posture and attitude is the second sphere. Right from the
moment you step on that stage your body language matters. The way
you stand, your speaking posture, use of hand gestures etc.
everything counts and hence must be well noted and taken care of.
• The third sphere is the tone of the speech. You can play with
different styles, as issuitable to the topic of your speech. Voice
modulation, use of examples, a peck of humor, etc. all this is important
in engaging the audience.
• The fourth sphere is the use of stage space. It is a smart move
on the part of a speaker to choreograph his speech, that is, he must
plan a speech to be delivered using different parts of the stage at different
levels.
4th Principle: FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, GESTURES and MOVEMENT
A. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS are meaningful visible symbols of speech. This
reflects the speaker’s thinking and emotional attitudes
• Two Principles
a. manifest facial expression naturally by freeing yourself of inhibition
b. avoid planning or rehearsing facial expressions in advance
for they should be directed by the meaning of the words
being conveyed
• Common Sins in the Use of Facial Expressions
a. Poker face is a product of nervous
tension which inhibits facial
expression.
b. Mugger is an exaggerated facial
grimace which distracts the attention
of the audience for it calls to itself not
to the message of the speech
c. Facial contortionist is a way whereby
the speaker release pent-up tension
through random activity of the facial
muscles
B. MOVEMENTS / BODILY ACTIONS are supplements to
good speech with its being transformed into actual replacement
for the audible code. Its uses include: (a) adjusting to the speaking
situation; (b) securing and maintaining interest and attention; (c)
clarifying meaning and (d) attaining emphasis in speech.
• Common Sins in the Use of Movements
a. Statue / stone - The speaker appears incapable of movement.
b. Pacer - The speaker paces and walks from one side of the
platform to the other and back.
c. Swayer - The speaker rhythmically moves his body from side
to side or forward and backward followed by the shifting of
weight
C. GESTURES are purposive
movements of some parts of the
body, but not the entire body.
These include movements of
heads, shoulders, arms and
occasionally feet. These are all
physical movements that
represent concretely the ideas and
emotions of the speaker. These are
also the products of the inner impulses and forces of thoughts of a
speaker.
• Classifications of Gestures
a. Descriptive gestures indicate the meaning literally or by suggestion
b. Symbolic gestures are representative or figurative rather than literal.
c. Locative gestures refer to pointing a place, position or direction.
d. Emphatic gestures are used when words or ideas need to be
stressed or reinforced.
e. Transitional gestures are used to move your audience from one idea to
the next or to enumerate things
f. Dramatic / imitative gestures convey impersonation of another person’s action
• Uses of Gestures
a. to point the location of objects usually in the sight of the audience but
they may be in the imagination
b. to give emphasis to statements or to ask questions
c. to entreat/plead for something
d. to picture an object
e. to stimulate the imagination
• Parts of a Gesture
a. Preparation consists of taking the hand to the point where the
stroke or emphasis occurs.
b. Stroke is a definite action to emphasize, supplement, describe or
suggest the thought being expressed.
c. Return brings the arm and the hand easily back to the resting position
• Common Sins in the Use of Gesture
a. Random action includes fidgeting with
pencils, button, bracelets, beads, pockets,
coat lapels, wiggling; doing dance strokes
with heels or soles; rubbing chin and nose;
running fingers through the hair; taking
eyeglasses off and putting them on
b. Perpetual motion is a constant and
continued use of hands will hinder
reinforcement of meaning.
c. Abortive gesture is an incomplete or not
adequately executed movement.
OPEN GESTURES CLOSED GESTURES
open hands hand covering mouth
palms up making fists
unbuttoning jacket peering over top of glasses
spontaneous eye contact glancing at exit
Smile Frown
leaning forward leaning back
Relaxed Rigid
hands away from face looking at floor
standing straight moving away
feet apart legs, crossed, shaking foot
shoulders squared Fidgeting
uncrossed legs locked ankles
welcoming handshake folded arms
Touching cold shoulder
Patting open palm tapping
rubbing palms together hand wringing
affirmative head nods head lowered
calm use of facial movements staring or eyes closed
Seating arrangements with no Stalling for time
barriers
5th Principle: AUDIENCE RAPPORT - "Building rapport" is the name
given to the process of creating an understanding and harmonious
bond between yourself and someone else. Good rapport ensures that
the message will be actively listened to.
Rapport builders include:
• dressing and grooming appropriately for the occasion
• being organized, ready with suitable content
• demonstrating in your opening statements that you know
who you're talking to because you've done your homework
• using inclusive language - "we" rather than "I"
• identifying and emphasizing your common ground respectfully and
sincerely
• avoiding jargon unless everyone knows what you're talking about
• showing that you're human too by sharing personal
experience in the stories you tell
• being mindful of body language and making eye contact
• appearing confident, positive, in control and open
• understanding the impact of your vocal delivery
STAGE FRIGHT is a fear of speaking in front of a group of people. This
is often called “performance anxiety”. Actors call it “flop sweat”.
Psychologists call it “topophobia”.
Symptoms
- dry mouth - tight throat - sweaty hands
- shaky hands - nausea - fast pulse
- trembling lips - shaky knees - cold hands
- any out-of-the-ordinary outward or inward feeling occurring
before or during a presentation
How to Manage Stage Fright
• learn and practice diaphragmatic breathing
• learn to be grounded in your physical body
• give yourself permission to feel the nervous tension
• use the right joke at the right time
• involve your listeners
• concentrate on what you’re saying, not on
how you’re saying it prepare,
prepare, prepare
Vocal Delivery
Vocal delivery includes components of speech delivery that relate to your voice.
These include rate, volume, pitch articulation, pronunciation and fluency. Our voice
is important to consider when delivering our speech for two main reasons. First,
vocal delivery can help us engage and interest the audience. Second, vocal delivery
helps ensure that our ideas are communicated clearly.
Aspects to consider in Vocal Delivery:
Rate
Rate of speaking refers to how fast or slow you speak. If you speak too fast, your
audience will not be able to absorb the information you present. If you speak too
slowly, the audience may lose interest.
Volume
Volume refers to how loud or soft your voice is. As with speaking rate, you want to
avoid
the extremes of being too loud or too soft, but still vary your volume within an
acceptable middle range.
Pitch
Pitch refers to how high or low a speaker’s voice is. As with other vocal qualities, there
are natural variations among people’s vocal pitch. Unlike rate and volume, there are
more physiological limitations on the control we have over pitch.
Vocal Variety
Vocal variety includes changes in your rate, volume, and pitch that can make you look
more prepared, seem more credible, and be able to engage your audience better.
Speaking for Clarity
Articulation
Articulation refers to the clarity of sounds and words we produce. If someone is
articulate, they speak words clearly, and speakers should strive to speak clearly.
Pronunciation
Unlike articulation, which focuses on the clarity of words, pronunciation refers to
speaking words correctly, including the proper sounds of the letters and the proper
emphasis.
Fluency
Fluency refers to the flow of your speaking. To speak with fluency means that your
speech flows well and that there are not many interruptions to that flow.
There are two main disfluencies, or problems that affect the flow of a speech.
Fluency hiccups are unintended pauses in a speech that usually result from forgetting
what you were saying, being distracted, or losing your place in your speaking notes.
Fluency hiccups are not the same as intended pauses, which are useful for adding
emphasis or transitioning between parts of a speech.
Verbal fillers are words that speakers use to fill in a gap between what they were
saying and what they’re saying next. Common verbal fillers include um, uh, ah, er,
you know, and like. The best way to minimize verbal fillers is to become a higher self-
monitor and realize that you use them.
TRY THIS! VOCAL VARIATION
Find a listening partner. Using only the sounds of “la” ha,” and “oh,” covey the meaning of the following:1. It’s the
biggest thing I’ve ever seen!
2. I’ve fallen and can’t get up!
3. I’ve got a crush on him/her.
4. That soup is disgusting and spoiled.
5. I got an “A” in my Speech Final!
If you cannot relay the meaning with just sounds, try a second time (each) with gestures and facial expressions
until the listener understands. Then say the lines with the expressive inflections you have developed using only
the sounds.
PREPARED BY: MR FROILAN G. TINDUGAN
For ELT 7 (Speech and Theater Arts)
BSED ENGLISH
SCC SEM 1
